BLOODY HEART
THE PEOPLE, GROUPS, PLACES, AND INCIDENTS IN THIS DRAMA ARE PURELY FICTIONAL
Tonight, I will allow you to embrace me.
You came all the way here to see me.
That is more than enough for me.
By trying to save me,
you will be saving Councilor Park as well.
I cannot let that happen.
You are not
Councilor Park's niece.
You cannot be.
I will find a way.
So never…
attempt to die again.
Do not…
leave me alone.
BLOODY HEART EPISODE 9
How could His Majesty do this?
What… are you reading so intently?
I am reading…
about the life that your daughter has led.
I cannot remember the last time I felt this powerless.
No one has ever given me such a huge sense of defeat.
I want to know what I failed to see.
Were you afraid?
I was.
Are you having regrets?
I have always lived intentionally
so that I would regret nothing.
Nothing mattered more to me than my loyalty to the King and my parents.
Do you know what made officials like me
take up swords and commit treason?
A tyrant.
People were starving in the capital.
They relied on human flesh to survive.
Women were… violated.
The heads of my honorable friends
were decapitated
and displayed.
Every morning,
I had to pass by the decapitated heads of my friends…
on my way to the palace.
I was determined to prevent another tyrant from rising.
I committed myself to foster a wise king by my hands
and build a system
to keep him and his power in check.
That is why I had to take that path.
I had to!
I knew I would be covered in blood
and condemned for generations.
But I…
I had no choice
but to take that path.
Tell me, Haksoo.
There were qualities
that I longed to see
in the tyrant, the late king, and His Majesty.
Why is it that
I see them
in your daughter now?
You and Lady Park
devised a secret plan behind my back.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Kyun.
I have chosen Lady Park as my companion.
It will be a difficult journey, Your Majesty.
She will be…
my wife.
Relay this to Siwol.
He must pass the upcoming special examination.
Yes, Your Majesty. I will see to it that he does.
His Majesty is delayed.
I see.
I hear that the drought is severe.
We will have a bad harvest this year.
What are you looking at so intently?
I… I stepped on it!
Fortunately, it did not break.
Is that the fan I gave you?
I brought it
to give you an answer.
An answer?
THE LOVE CHILD BETWEEN BAMBOO AND PAPER
The day
you gave me this fan,
you said this to me.
"The love child between bamboo and paper.
It is the clear wind."
It is one of the old poems that stood out to me.
Will you…
accept this?
Can I give you an answer now?
I love you.
I loved you long before you loved me.
I loved you more dearly than you loved me.
Our journey will be difficult,
but not as difficult as losing you.
Will you be my wife?
Please…
be my queen.
You have so much to lose, Your Majesty.
But you will be…
with me.
YEONGHWADANG
Please go on in.
His Majesty named this chamber Yeonghwadang himself.
"The gentleness within brings prosperity."
I believed that he was teaching me the virtues of a queen.
I was wrong.
They were the virtues
of a concubine.
These ornaments are gifts from His Majesty.
How lovely they are.
Who cares?
They mean nothing!
Please calm down, my lady.
Stop.
Any gifts from His Majesty should be treated as His Majesty himself.
If His Majesty finds out, you may get in serious trouble.
If I become demoted,
I know you will be more delighted than anyone.
Do as you wish.
I would rather get expelled than put up with this humiliation.
The silk wrapped around wedding boxes
does not merely serve aesthetic ends.
It conveys the bride's parents' wish
that their daughter would be treated with respect.
Think about those who care for you.
You have delicate hands for someone of low birth
and are quite crafty.
Thank you, my lady.
Would you perhaps
like a viewing of the wedding boxes?
-Wedding boxes? -Yes.
Silk is wrapped around the corners making them presentable and eye-catching.
Where is Ttonggeum now?
Bring her to me right now.
Ttonggeum.
Do you remember the bamboo box sellers that once visited my house?
-Of course, my lady. -One of them was a woman.
Did you see her face?
I sure did.
Did she perhaps
bear any resemblance to Lady Park?
That is impossible, my lady.
How could a lowly merchant woman look anything like Lady Park?
They have no resemblance at all.
Is that right?
I guess you are right.
In fact, she was one abhorrent-looking woman.
There were pockmarks all over her face,
not to mention her swollen, absolutely unsightly hands.
I get goosebumps just by thinking about them now.
If you will excuse me, I will go and check on the eunuchs at the King's Palace.
Court Lady Kim.
I need you to visit my private home right now.
Look here. I want to be of assistance to you.
I hear you want one of your relatives named Siwol
to take the special examination.
I'm thinking of doing you a big favor--
Eavesdropped again?
If you eavesdrop on His Majesty and me once more…
then I will cut off your ear.
"Consummation on the 7th in 3 months shall lead to conception."
Not yesterday then.
Are you suggesting that I desire something else?
I have yet to foresee what it is you desire.
However, a son conceived on this date
will possess the utmost power and authority in Joseon.
Is that what you truly desire?
You vulgar and ignorant monk.
Do you truly believe
one can gain power just by conceiving a son?
The woman's family
shall serve as her sword.
As she wishes to put her family on the throne,
her sword
shall be pointed at you in no time.
By my daughter-in-law's sword,
do you mean Councilor Park?
Yes, Your Highness.
Then answer me this.
What do you think
will happen…
to you tomorrow?
You shall pay for trying to come between me and my people.
Try and survive without a single ray of light or a single drop of water.
If you are Maitreya, you will live.
But if you are a mere human being,
you will die.
ON THE SEVENTH DAY IN THREE MONTHS
I have a favor to ask.
Please visit Master Lim held at the Police Bureau.
Truth be told, His Majesty gave me the same order.
What are you planning to do?
It depends on how Councilor Park reacts.
Will he try to take advantage
of our superficial relationship now that I spent a night with His Majesty? Or…
will he treat me as his enemy who bears a grudge against him?
I do not know what is on his mind yet.
I remember who you are now.
When your friend ascended the throne,
you retired to the countryside to bury yourself in books.
After even giving up on your career and running away,
what made you want to take in Yoo Haksoo's daughter?
What was your goal?
There was no such thing.
I know what you have been up to.
Why did you help Bamboo Grove Village out of poverty
using Yoo Haksoo's daughter?
What were you trying to achieve by winning the people's support?
It was not my idea
but Jeong's own.
She wanted to make sure that no one around her
would die from poverty or disease.
That was the only thing she ever wanted.
She is the daughter of a traitor!
And you are telling me that all you wanted was to help the people?
She lost her family because of you.
She did not want anyone else
to go through what she had to.
No. She was only using you to get her revenge.
Do you not see it?
She is even risking her master's life to kill me.
It was you who took control of, bargained away, and threatened
the lives of me, the crafters, and everyone in Bamboo Grove Village.
Had Jeong not told me this was to save everyone,
I would not have let her risk her life like this.
Is that right?
I must figure out what she truly thinks to see if you are right.
I shall find out whether it was to get revenge
or to save the people
that she risked her life to kill me.
Only after that…
will I make a decision.
POLICE BUREAU
Seeing that you are safe
and that she is trying to get the man out of prison,
I assume that Lady Park has decided to live.
Jinsa Lim of Bamboo Grove Village
used to be a merchant who even had access to ladies' chambers.
And he falsely accused me of violating his female apprentice.
He shall be punished for calumny as prescribed by law.
Also,
I intend to inform this to His Majesty myself.
In fact, I have a message for you from His Majesty.
He wishes to question the chief eunuch himself.
This is unfair, Your Majesty.
I sold government posts for money?
That is utter nonsense!
After all the kindness that you have shown to me,
how could I ever pursue my selfish interests?
I hear that you influenced
not only the eunuch department but also the court lady positions.
That is not true, Your Majesty!
Let me tell you how to save yourself.
Was it Councilor Park who ordered you to lock up your superior?
Your Majesty, that is…
Was it?
The investigation shall begin soon.
Your Majesty…
It may
prove difficult to punish him for the incident.
Would you rather be framed for taking bribes, then?
I have never taken any bribes
or sold any government posts.
However,
I may know what this is about.
Those who wish to establish connections with the Queen Dowager
sometimes used my name--
The Left State Councilor enters.
You may continue.
I am intrigued.
Your Majesty.
Please trust my loyalty to you.
Your Majesty.
Second Inspector Yoon has been investigating Eunuch Heo.
By questioning him, you will be able to find out
all about Eunuch Heo's faults.
-Councilor Park! -Your plan was to abandon him all along.
You are the one who decides a eunuch's use.
I merely follow your decisions.
Your Majesty!
I am your loyal servant! Your Majesty!
I would never betray you!
Your Majesty!
Is Eunuch Heo not useful to you anymore?
How can he be of any use when you no longer trust him?
I merely read your mind and take action accordingly.
Who do you think
I am leaning toward now?
Do you wish
to save Lady Park?
What if I do?
I will never
let her attempt to go down with you.
Then,
I will follow your wish
and surrender.
Your Majesty, Lady Park enters.
By the way,
are you ready to fully accept Yoo Haksoo's daughter?
Think about what he did.
He is a traitor who brutally assassinated
your mother.
He is not a traitor.
If that is what you believe,
I may be able to grant Lady Park's wish.
Jinsa Lim shall be released
as well as the crafters in Bamboo Grove Village.
Yoo Haksoo's name will be cleared,
and he will be reinstated.
However,
there is a problem to solve before that.
-Move out of the way! -Move!
-My goodness. -What is going on?
A poster has been put up in Banchon.
It claims that the late Queen Inyoung
was not assassinated by Yoo Haksoo but Left State Councilor Park Gyewon.
Your Majesty.
The Chief Royal Secretary wishes to speak to you urgently.
"The people believe the real culprit is someone else,
but no one dares speak up.
The reason is that the real culprit is the Left State Councilor."
That is what the poster says.
Those insolent lunatics!
Your Majesty.
The entire nation believes that I am the real culprit.
I feel so frustrated that I cannot sleep at night.
I beg you.
Please find the real culprit who assassinated the late Queen
and clear the names
of me and Yoo Haksoo,
who was unfairly executed.
Councilor Park.
What are you planning?
What are you trying to achieve by revealing what you have done?
I intend to let people know that I have done nothing.
You started all this.
You deserve to know who the real culprit is.
You and the officials assassinated the late Queen.
My father was executed after being framed for the assassination.
You are
my enemy.
Had the late Queen been deposed,
it was the Crown Prince's turn next.
Do you believe that the Queen's deposition was the officials' final goal?
Also,
do you think that the late Queen was not aware?
That her death
would be the only remaining shield to protect the Crown Prince.
Now who do you think
your real enemy is?
Your mother
will not become a deposed queen.
I will die as the Queen of this country.
I have been poisoned to death with you, Crown Prince.
Remember that for life…
and make use of it.
The only thing that'll keep you safe
is the sympathy people will have for you
as a child of a poisoned mother.
What kind of choice will she make?
What kind of path will she take after making that choice?
What are her goals?
What is most important to her?
I must find out.
How long have you been waiting?
Why did no one inform me that you were here?
I asked them not to.
What if you had to wait longer?
When I was wandering around searching for my parents' corpses outside Kwangheemun,
I always carried a dagger under my jacket,
ready to kill anyone.
I could not even make proper graves for them.
If I had,
people would have spat on them, believing they were criminals' graves.
I wanted the world to know that my father was innocent…
and was merely framed.
By clearing my father's name,
you would earn the admiration of the Sarim.
So what is it…
that prevents you…
from doing so?
There is something about that…
I must tell you.
Lady Park.
Please do not say it.
I must.
My mother…
swallowed poison…
to protect me.
My father sacrificed
your family…
to protect me.
I had…
desired you.
I had wanted you to be my wife.
My greed is…
what destroyed…
you and your family.
Please excuse me.
Ttonggeum!
-Yes? -Ttonggeum!
I gave you those dried persimmons as promised. Now tell me.
I know nothing.
How should I know where Miss is?
You didn't tell me where Lord Lim was, either.
Don't expect me to tell you anything even if I knew.
I have no idea.
All right. Fine.
Slow down. You'll choke on it.
Did you not even take a peek while delivering the letter?
Oh, right. You don't know how to read.
-I can read a few characters! -Like what?
The first two characters? I know that much, too.
My goodness. All right, then.
I'll stop asking.
Just take this.
Oh, dear.
I was going to give it to you when you get married.
Who would've known you'd enter the palace?
Take it.
It's expensive and not something to eat. Why did you…
If this is the life you want,
I wish you good luck.
I must say, I feel relieved to know
that you won't starve anymore.
Oh, well…
Nanny, did you see her?
Yes, my lady.
She is the woman who came by to sell
bamboo boxes indeed.
Bring Ttonggeum to me now!
I told you to bring Ttonggeum to me. Where have you been?
Did you send for me, my lady?
Nanny said that
she wanted to see you.
You may leave now.
I see.
I will say hello to her later.
She was born and raised in my house.
She is no more than an animal I keep, and she deceived me.
She challenged my authority! How could you tell me to hold back?
I would even kill her to make her confess.
The person trying to hide Lady Park's past
is His Majesty.
Are you certain that Lady Park was the bamboo box seller?
Would you say that even after being tortured at the State Tribunal?
I only saw her…
a couple of times, so I cannot say I am certain.
Nanny!
This accusation would risk the extermination of our entire family.
To keep Lady Park safe,
His Majesty and the Left State Councilor may join hands.
I will look into it. Please do not cause any more trouble.
She is fake, Father!
The woman who took my place
is faking her identity!
Father!
Are you looking into those people?
Yes. They are bamboo box sellers from Bamboo Grove Village.
I have people searching for them, but they have vanished into thin air.
Bamboo Grove Village?
Why do you not visit me more often?
It is always so good to see you,
but you never visit me unless I ask you to.
Forgive us, Your Highness.
I have been busy with official duties.
Also, the case I am investigating at the moment
happens to involve those who work for you.
Inspector Park.
It is fine.
I know how he is.
I did hear that
some of my servants have been involved with Eunuch Heo.
Do visit once the investigation is over.
Thank you for your understanding.
Those who I long for are busy,
and I am surrounded by sly people.
I have few people that I can trust.
You have the entire government serving you.
Please do not say that.
It is the Left State Councilor, not me, that the government serves.
Then again,
power can even make one's romantic rival bow to another.
Your Highness.
The Chief Army Commander of Hamgyong Province
will arrive here in a few days.
My uncle?
Why, all of a sudden?
His Majesty wishes to assign him a government post.
Your Highness.
It is exactly as that monk said.
Be quiet.
That wicked monk has no idea.
Welcome, Councilor Park.
You seem to be spending more time in the back garden recently.
Your Highness.
You must feel confined in your chamber.
Most certainly.
I spent half my life confined to the lady's chamber
and the other half…
to this palace.
I put
such a heavy burden on you.
Politics can be dangerous and dirty.
You deserve to live like a flower,
and I dragged you into this dangerous place.
Your Highness.
But someday…
you may be able to spend your time more enjoyably.
You speak as though
there is someone who can replace me.
I am planning to test Lady Park.
I am going to watch her and find out
whether she is capable of taking charge of the palace.
He will isolate you in order to save his family member.
He is your real enemy.
One of your family members will arrive at the palace soon.
You will have no choice but to believe me then.
Is there a book you are looking for?
I was hoping to read about the late Queen Inyoung.
There are no official documents left,
but give me a moment.
The late Queen wrote these letters to her court ladies.
They were discarded when the court ladies were executed,
but I kept them in the library
as they were in the late Queen's handwriting.
What was she like?
I never served her directly,
but I do know that she lived in her private house until the coup
and that she was particularly close with her son.
I AM SORRY TO HEAR THAT HIS MAJESTY HAS A POOR APPETITE
A FEW YEARS AGO, MY ACORN JELLY HELPED HIM REGAIN HIS APPETITE
What do you suggest
that I should do?
What am I supposed to do?
I read some letters that the late Queen wrote.
In her every letter to the court ladies,
she expressed…
her concern for her husband and son.
I do understand why she had to make
such a tragic choice.
I myself once attempted to make the same choice.
However,
she was cruel to my father.
On the night before the third screening,
my father cried all night outside my chamber.
Saying it was a decision made as an official, not as a father,
he apologized to me.
As though he was putting his own child through danger,
he cried
and cried again.
You ask what you should do?
If you intended to do something,
you would already have.
You were…
planning to keep it buried for the rest of your life.
What you said…
is right.
I still cannot promise
that I will be able to clear
Yoo Haksoo's name.
If there were rice paddies in the palace,
it would help understand the crop situation
and provide appropriate support to the people.
I hope that will come true someday.
The royal office is the first to know the crop situation anyway.
Once there is a drought,
requests for a rainmaking ritual begin to pour in immediately.
One cannot make it rain by making rice paddies in the palace
and conducting rainmaking rituals.
It would be a much better idea to build levees.
It is not that the people do not understand that.
It is just that
they are so desperate that they grasp at straws.
His Majesty is cultivating soil in the palace with farmers today.
Is that right?
I heard that it was your request.
Did he send for me?
No, he did not.
His Majesty arrives!
Are you adding a new layer of soil to increase fertility?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Go ahead and demonstrate.
Yes, I will do it.
Farmers outside the capital
must be busy preparing their soil.
The soil dried up during the winter. We will have a bad harvest again.
Is it that bad?
Rainmaking rituals are being conducted everywhere.
I am sure it will rain soon.
Rainmaking rituals?
I reckon I should conduct a rainmaking ritual
myself as well.
-Thank you, Your Majesty. -That would be great, Your Majesty.
-We appreciate it. -Thank you, Your Majesty.
Goodness gracious.
-We appreciate it. -But that does not guarantee rain.
Your Majesty, that is not true.
If you pray earnestly,
the sky will certainly respond.
-Absolutely. -Of course.
You are different from us lowly commoners.
The skies will respond to your prayer and give us rain.
Raise your head.
But…
I allow you
to raise your head.
So this is how you look.
Why did I not try to see…
your faces sooner?
I will find out whether it was to get revenge
or to save the people
that she risked her life to kill me.
I heard that Lady Park summoned you to the palace.
What was it about?
There is someone waiting for you.
This place is too humble for her.
You should go and see her.
I intend to find out whether Lady Park has what it takes
before I decide
whether to abandon her or serve her.
Will he serve her as he serves me
or…
serve her instead of me?
You asked who my real enemy was.
Did you find the answer?
I did.
And I am here to give you the answer.
Once I hear it,
I would like to give you an answer as well.
The late Queen sacrificed her own life
to protect the Crown Prince.
The late King executed my father
for assassinating her to protect him.
You exterminated
my family
to save the officials.
In other words, all of them are my enemies.
You, the late King,
and even His Majesty.
Then who do I get back at for this?
The meritorious subjects
who destroyed my family to annihilate the Sarim?
Or should it be His Majesty
who framed my father in order to protect the Crown Prince?
Who…
should be the target of my revenge?
Here is
my answer.
BLOODY HEART
Then, the Queen. I shall be.
As your niece.
I will crown Lady Park as Queen.
I will serve her just as I have served you.
Once I have regained authority,
I will be sure to clear your father's name.
I will wait.
I am aware of one of her secrets.
What would that be?
Have you forgotten who she sides with?
Having her in our corner makes for the perfect opportunity.
Are they on their way?
I must find Consort Park.
She must be found.
Translated by Min-jin Kim